Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disorder characterized clinically by progressive loss of memory, temporal and local orientation, cognition, reasoning, judgment and emotionally stability. AD is a common cause of progressive dementia in humans and is one of the major causes of death in the United States. AD has been observed in all races and ethnic groups worldwide, and is a major present and future health problem. No treatment that effectively prevents AD or reverses the clinical symptoms and underlying pathophysiology is currently available (for review see Dennis J. Selkoe; Cell Biology of the amyloid (beta)-protein precursor and the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease, Annu Rev Cell Biol, 1994, 10: 373-403).
Histopathological examination of brain tissue derived upon autopsy or from neurosurgical specimens in effected individuals revealed the occurrence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillar tangles in the cerebral cortex of such patients. Similar alterations were observed in patients with Trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome), and hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis of the Dutch-type. Neurofibrillar tangles are nonmembrane-bound bundles of abnormal proteinaceous filaments and biochemical and immunochemical studies led to the conclusion that their principle protein subunit is an altered phosphorylated form of the tau protein (reviewed in Selkoe, 1994).
Biochemical and immunological studies revealed that the dominant proteinaceous component of the amyloid plaque is an approximately 4.2 kilodalton (kD) protein of about 39 to 43 amino acids. This protein was designated Aβ, β-amyloid peptide, and sometimes β/A4; referred to herein as Aβ. In addition to its deposition in amyloid plaques, Aβ is also found in the walls of meningeal and parenchymal arterioles, small arteries, capillaries, and sometimes, venules. Aβ was first purified and a partial amino acid reported in 1984 (Glenner and Wong, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 120: 885-890). The isolation and sequence data for the first 28 amino acids are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,829.
Compelling evidence accumulated during the last decade revealed that Aβis an internal polypeptide derived from a type 1 integral membrane protein, termed β amyloid precursor protein (APP). β APP is normally produced by many cells both in vivo and in cultured cells, derived from various animals and humans. Aβ is derived from cleavage of β APP by as yet unknown enzyme (protease) system(s), collectively termed secretases.
The existence of at least four proteolytic activities has been postulated. They include β secretase(s), generating the N-terminus of Aβ, a secretase(s) cleaving around the 16/17 peptide bond in Aβ, and γ secretases, generating C-terminal Aβ fragments ending at position 38, 39, 40, 42, and 43 or generating C-terminal extended precursors which are subsequently truncated to the above polypeptides.
Several lines of evidence suggest that abnormal accumulation of Aβ plays a key role in the pathogenesis of AD. Firstly, Aβ is the major protein found in amyloid plaques. Secondly, Aβ is neurotoxic and may be causally related to neuronal death observed in AD patients. Thirdly, missense DNA mutations at position 717 in the 770 isoform of β APP can be found in effected members but not unaffected members of several families with a genetically determined (familiar) form of AD. In addition, several other β APP mutations have been described in familiar forms of AD. Fourthly, similar neuropathological changes have been observed in transgenic animals overexpressing mutant forms of human β APP. Fifthly, individuals with Down's syndrome have an increased gene dosage of β APP and develop early-onset AD. Taken together, these observations strongly suggest that Aβ depositions may be causally related to the AD.
It is hypothesized that inhibiting the production of Aβ will prevent and reduce neurological degeneration, by controlling the formation of amyloid plaques, reducing neurotoxicity and, generally, mediating the pathology associated with Aβ production. One method of treatment methods would therefore be based on drugs that inhibit the formation of Aβ in vivo. Methods of treatment could target the formation of Aβ through the enzymes involved in the proteolytic processing of β amyloid precursor protein. Compounds that inhibit β or secretase activity, either directly or indirectly, could control the production of Aβ. Advantageously, compounds that specifically target γ secretases, could control the production of A{tilde over (β)} Such inhibition of β or  secretases could thereby reduce production of A which, thereby, could reduce or prevent the neurological disorders associated with A protein.
PCT publication number WO 96/29313 discloses the general formula:
covering metalloprotease inhibiting compounds useful for the treatment of diseases associated with excess and/or unwanted matrix metalloprotease activity, particularly collagenase and or stromelysin activity.
Compounds of general formula:
are disclosed in PCT publication number WO 95/22966 relating to matrix metalloprotease inhibitors. The compounds of the invention are useful for the treatment of conditions associated with the destruction of cartilage, including corneal ulceration, osteoporosis, periodontitis and cancer. European Patent Application number EP 0652009A1 relates to the general formula:
and discloses compounds that are protease inhibitors that inhibit Aβ production. U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,129 discloses the general formula:
which covers 5-amino-6-cyclohexyl-4-hydroxy-hexanamide derivatives that inhibit Aβ production and are useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Copending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/370,089 filed Aug. 7, 1999 (equivalent to international application PCT US99/17717) discloses lactams of general formula:
wherein the lactam ring B is substituted by succinamide and a carbocyclic, aryl, or heteroaryl group. These compounds inhibit the processing of amyloid precursor protein and, more specifically, inhibit the production of Aβ-peptide, thereby acting to prevent the formation of neurological deposits of amyloid protein.
None of the above references teaches or suggests the compounds of the present invention which are described in detail below.